Loom picker stick and picker joint or connection



June 25, 1968 c. F. TRAVIS 3,339,721

LOOM PICKER STICK AND PICKER JOINT OR CONNECTION Filed Sept. 27, 1966 9 H II T |9\ l" "1 g 15 1 n 23 1 4 2 I: 4 I I l I I 2? I4 23 l lo T:

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INVENTOR CHARLES F. TRAVIS BY: 43mm ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,389,721 LOOM PICKER STiCK AND PICKER JOINT OR CONNECTION Charles F. Travis, Greenville, S.C., assiguor to Tranoeo,

Inc., Travelers Rest, S.C., a corporation of South Carolina Filed Sept. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 582,329 8 Claims. (Cl. 139-157) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A picker stick and picker construction in which the picker stick is enlarged in cross section toward its top end from a point somewhat below the top end, and the picker is formed with a through opening which fits the enlargement so that the picker cannot migrate upwardly on the picker stick during loom operation.

This invention relates to improvements in loom picker sticks and pickers and more particularly to an improved joint or connection between these elements.

In the operation of a modern high-speed loom, the picker stick and picker are subjected constantly to velocity, impact and vibration. It is important for proper operation that the picker engage the shuttle at a prescribed elevation on the picker stick and that the picker remain securely in the desired position on the stick. A number of prior art patents reveal the efforts which have been made toward this end and among these patents are United States Patents 406,416, 836,073, 2,389,157 and 2,522,862. Despite such prior art efforts, constant difiiculty is experienced in practice and the picker tends to loosen during operation and to ride up toward the top end of the picker stick, which is customarily tapered towards its top.

The objective of this invention is, therefore, to provide a picker stick and picker and a connection between these elements which will fully overcome the abovediscussed problems and provide a secure arrangement wherein the picker will not move relative to the picker stick after it has been secured in place, even though it is subjected to vibration and impact in the loom.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a picker stick and picker embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof on a somewhat reduced scale;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the picker; and

FIGURE 4 is an additional side elevational view taken at right angles to FIGURE 2 showing the rear end of the picker.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown one preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral designates the upper end portion of the picker stick, the lower end of which may be conventional and forms no part of the present invention. As shown, the upper end of the stick carries an integral head or enlargement 11 preferably formed by forming an inclined face 12 on the front side of the picker stick 10. However, it should be understood that the rear side of the picker stick or one or both of its lateral sides could be similarly inclined to produce this top end enlargement on the stick.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, the inclined forward face 3,339,721 Fatentecl June 25, 1968 ice 12 extends to a point adjacent the bottom face of the picker 13 when the latter is installed upon the picker stick. Therefore, the upper enlargement or head on the picker stick Will extend from the bottom of the picker to the extreme top end of the stick, in all cases, and this will be true regardless of which or how many of the side faces of the picker stick are inclined in the manner shown for the face 12. The arrangement is such that at least one side or face of the head 11 diverges from the opposite face in the upward direction or the integral head is increasingly larger in the upward direction and larger than the opening through the picker 13. This will effectively prevent loosening and upward displacement of the picker upon the picker stick during operation of the loom.

The picker 13, as usual, is a block-like relatively hard body of any suitable material having a forward portion 14 adapted to engage and propel the shuttle. The rearward and central portions of the picker 13 are slotted centrally, a relatively narrow portion of the slot being indicated at 15 communicating with the enlarged slot portion 16 which receives the picker stick and head 11. The enlarged portion 16 is preferably provided with side walls which lie in the same planes with the four major side faces of the picker stick. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the inclined side or surface 17 engages the face 12 in assembly while the vertical side 18 of the picker opening engages the rear vertical face 19 of the picker stick. FIG- URES 1 and 2 clearly indicate that the opposite lateral faces 20 of the head 11 are also inclined and diverge upwardly and the opposite sides 21 of the picker opening 16 engage with the sides 20 in assembly.

Integral lugs 22 are formed on the rear end of the picker 13 and these lugs are apertured to receive a transverse bolt 23 carrying a nut 24. By virtue of this arrangement, the picker 13 is tightly clamped to the upwardly enlarged head 11 of the picker stick and the adjacent faces or sides 17, 18 and 21 of the picker stick opening are parallel with and firmly contact the mating faces of the picker stick head 11. This head or enlargement 11 extends from a point 25, FIGURE 2, adjacent the bottom of the picker 13 to the extreme top of the picker stick.

With the described arrangement and connection b tween the picker stick and picker, it is virtually impossible for the picker to loosen itself during operation or to ride upwardly on the picker stick and thus the main objective of the invention is accomplished. The structure is simple and compact and avoids the use of keys, wedges and other like mechanical fasteners between the picker and picker stick while assuring that the connection is extremely secure at all times. It is believed that the advantages of the present construction will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without the necessity for a further detailed description herein. Regardless of which face or how many faces of the upper portion of the picker stick are inclined to produce the enlarged head 11, the overall proportions of the head are such that the picker stick can readily pass through the usual lay slot without interference.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim 1. A loom picker stick and picker construction comprising in combination a picker stick having an enlargement On its top end which gradually increases in cross sectional area toward the top end of the picker stick from a point on the picker stick somewhat below said top end, and a picker having an opening formed therethrough to receive the picker stick and said opening being formed in cross section to match the cross sectional shape of the enlargement at all cross sectional planes where the enlargement is engaged within said opening.

2. A loom picker stick and picker construction as defined by claim 1, and wherein the enlargement has at least one pair of opposed upwardly divergent surfaces and said picker opening has a corresponding pair of upwardly divergent surfaces which contact the picker stick divergent surfaces over substantially their full. areas.

3. A loom picker stick and icker construction as defined by claim 2, and wherein said divergent surfaces of the enlargement and picker stick opening are substantially flat surfaces.

4. A loom picker stick and picker construction as defined by claim 1, and wherein said enlargement is substantially rectangular in cross section and comprises at least a pair of opposed side faces which diverge upwardly.

5. A loom picker stick and picker construction comprising in combination a picker stick having an integral enlargement on its upper end which gradually increases in cross sectional area from a point below said upper end toward the upper end, and a picker having a through open ing shaped in cross section to contact the enlargement at substantially all cross sectional planes through the opening and enlargement, there being a slot in the picker leading from said through opening, and clamp means for 1 drawing the portions of the picker on opposite sides of said slot into tight clamping relationship with the enlargement.

6. A loom picker stick and picker construction as defined by claim 5, wherein the clamp means includes a screw-threaded connecting element which may be adjusted.

7. A loom picker stick and picker assembly comprising in combination a picker stick having an elongated body portion and a top end enlargement which increases in cross sectional size from a point several inches below said top end of the picker stick to the top end, a picker having a through opening to receive the enlargement and said opening shaped in cross section to conform to the cross sectional shape of the enlargement at all regions along the axis of the opening, and mechanical means for drawing opposite side portions of the picker into tight clamping engagement with opposite sides of the enlargement.

8. A loom picker stick and picker assembly as defined by claim 7, and wherein said point of the enlargement coincides substantially with the bottom extremity of the picker through opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 561,269 6/1896 Moody 139-159 2,324,752 7/1943 Yelm 139159 2,546,643 3/1951 La Rocque 139-459 FOREIGN PATENTS 629,316 9/ 1949 Great Britain.

839,135 6/1960 Great Britain.

394,983 12/1965 Switzerland.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner. 

